Stratification Theory

• Walby criticises liberal feminism for not recognising that all women have different experiences
• Walby‘s triple system theory says that women are oppressed in three systems: gender (through patriarchy), class (through capitalism) and ethnicity (through racism)
• Millet argues that rape is a real fear in society
• One in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime
• Over 30% of domestic abuse starts during pregnancy
• Parsons argue the gender pay gap is justified because men have human capital, which is knowledge, skills and personal attributes possessed by individuals that have economic value
• Parsons says that education prepare people for the universalistic values of society
• Pupil Premium and EMA are policies that aim to help all children succeed whatever their background
• Parsons argues that stratification systems are the product of consensus - agreement that some members of society are deserving of greater rewards because they are more talented and skilled
• Parsons argues that people who best represent the common values, which are hard work, individualism and competition, receive rewards and status
• Davis and Moore argue that high rewards in the form of income and status motivate gifted people to make the necessary sacrifices in terms of education and training
• Davis and Moore argue that education performs role allocation
• Davis and Moore argue that the importance of a job is determined by its functional uniqueness and the degree of dependence of others
• One criticism of the functionalist theory is that the top of the stratification system is also occupied by those who live of inherited wealth and celebrities, neither of which are functionally important to society
• The term snowy peaks means that the top jobs are dominated by white people
• Functionalist don’t acknowledge the dysfunctions of stratification for those with less money such as poverty and low life expectancy
• New Right thinker Saunders argues that capitalist societies have to offer incentives to those with talent and enterprise because they are the innovators
• Marxist Weber argues class power comes from owning property but also from the market position of your job
• Weber argues that there are three forms of stratification which are class power, social power and party power
• Weber includes the white collar middle classes alongside property owners
• Weber's party power means political power
• Weber influenced Goldthorpe’s way if measuring class based on market position, which was used as the basis for the NS-SEC
• Neo Weberian Parkin suggests that social closure means your status can lead to not being included in classes even if you have wealth
• Neo Weberians Rex and Tomlinson argue that ethnic minorities have less class power, social power and party power
• Neo Weberians Barron and Norris argue black people are more likely to be found in the secondary sector because employers may have racist beliefs
• Postmodernist Bauman argues that consumption has replaced occupation in gaining status
• Postmodernist Bauman argues the seduced are those who are able to present themselves how want through buying
• Postmodernist Bauman argues the seduced includes the wealthy, those whose jobs allow them to take out loans and those with second jobs
• Postmodernists Pakulski and Walters argue there is market meritocracy because wealth is more equally distributed and education is more widespread today